For the first time, the French Open is going to begin in post-Rafael Nadal era. While Roland-Garros turns the page on a golden era, the 14-time winner says he has no regret leaving the stage behind.
The Spaniard, who officially retired in November 2024, told French sports daily L’Equipe that he no longer misses competing and is enjoying a normal, pain-free life after years of battling chronic injuries.
He now divides his time between family life, his academy, and new projects. Nadal says he’s relishing the freedom of life without the rigid demands of the tour and has no regrets about how his career unfolded.
“I’ve had a wonderful life beyond the courts,” he said. “Tennis was a huge part of it, but it was never everything.”He added, “I don’t miss playing. I knew I had reached my limit.”
This year’s tournament is the first of the post-Nadal era, a symbolic shift for an event so long synonymous with his name.
As the next generation of contenders prepares to stake its claim on the clay, Nadal is watching from afar, embracing life beyond the tour.
However, Nadal singled out world number one Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as the current leaders of the men’s game, while also highlighting Holger Rune, Jack Draper, and Jakub Mensik as emerging talents.
Looking back, Nadal said his proudest achievement was not his record haul of trophies, but his ability to preserve his enthusiasm and values through years of grueling competition and injury setbacks.
